USE YOUR EYES !

[SeekHer]

Submitted just as received in the e-mail to me from Suarez International

USE YOUR EYES !

The issue of shooting with one eye or two eyes has been around for a long time. As in much of what we are doing, it is a matter of context and distance.

If you are fighting a bad guy at five feet as you explode off the x and shoot him to the ground, both eyes open works fine. Try the same thing at 50 yards and your results will not be as good.

So...and I know we have used the "c" word before, the Continuum applies here. It fits in the same context as the moving continuum (from stationary to sprinting), the sight continuum (from focus on sights to focus on threat), the rate of fire continuum (from carefully pressing the trigger to machinegun mashing it as many times as needed), and now the eye usage continuum (from both eyes open focusing on the threat to one eye open only and focusing on the sights).

For close range gunfighting, both eyes open makes sense as it is simply a slightly extended hand to hand fight.

For extended ranges...beyond what we would call CQB, I will close the non-shooting eye (notice I did not say the non-dominant eye). This gives me greater clarity of focus on the sights and a greater ability to align them properly on the distant or difficult target.

Who shoots a rifle at 200 yards with both eyes open? If you do you are a rarity as most folks find they need to close one eye. But before you start sending me hate mail, check yourself honestly and I think you will find that you are far more accurate with the non-shooting eye closed. This may be mitigated with some red dot optics, but not with iron sights or traditional magnification scopes.

Another issue is the dominant eye. At basic levels the dominance difference may be great. The more the difference, the more the need to shut off the non-dominant eye for sighted shooting. The less the difference the less important it is. I have never met anyone with equal dominance in each eye.

At advanced levels we seek to train both sides equally as well as both eyes. I do not have a strong side or a weak side...I have a right and a left. When I am shooting in Close Range Gunfighting, I keep both eyes open and don't worry about it. As the distance increases and I find I need the sights more, I seek them and when I see them, my body makes a determination about whether I need to close one eye.

Its automatic. I don't over think it.

If the weapon is in my right hand, I sight with the right eye. If in the left hand, then sighting takes place with the left eye. And by sighting, I don't necessarily mean "use the sights" but rather "process the visual information" with the eye that is in line with the gun. That may be "meat and metal" or it may be an actual marksmanship sighted method.

The use of the eyes, once you understand their role, is like chewing gum and walking. The more you think about it the harder it is.


Gabe Suarez

[Cybrludite]

Playing with the new Trijacons on my 1911, I've found that in the dark I have to close one eye to avoid a double image of the sights. If there's enough light that I can use the sights without the glowy radioactive bits, I can line them up fine with both eyes open.

[Dub_James]

A problem with the 4th nerve or muscle it feeds makes it a little more tricky for me.

Gotta get that seen to. Right after they break my nose straight again

[Whirlibird]

I've found that if I squint the "off-side" eye rather than close it it works well for me and I don't lose all of the peripheral vision.

[Glenn Bartley]

Playing with the new Trijacons on my 1911, I've found that in the dark I have to close one eye to avoid a double image of the sights. If there's enough light that I can use the sights without the glowy radioactive bits, I can line them up fine with both eyes open.

You may need to have your eyes examined.

[Cybrludite]

Playing with the new Trijacons on my 1911, I've found that in the dark I have to close one eye to avoid a double image of the sights. If there's enough light that I can use the sights without the glowy radioactive bits, I can line them up fine with both eyes open.

You may need to have your eyes examined.

Probably. I'm getting to the age where my vision is supposed to start screwing up. Next time I'm over at the main campus at work (And not on a holiday), I'll drop by the optical shop & get them checked out.